Kenneth J. Heidrich (1907-1980) was an American architect, primarily active in Pennsylvania.[1] He specialized in school and residential architecture in Central and Western Pennsylvania as well as Ohio.[2] In addition to K-12 school architecture, he maintained an interest in architectural education. Heidrich’s 1946 McCormick House, was one of a small number of modern designs at that time in State College, Pennsylvania.[3] He was a proponent of the architect-designed small home, rather than mass produced plans and houses.[4]

Early life

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Heidrich was born on October 7, 1907, in Elyria, Ohio, the son of Henry and Gertrude Smith Heidrich.[1][5] In 1930, he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University).[1][2][6][7] Heidrich also received a diploma from Fontainebleau School of Fine Arts in France after accepting a scholarship to attend.[2][8] A Master of Fine Arts degree followed in 1937 from Princeton University, where he held a Palmer Fellowship in 1936.[1][2][6]

Teaching and research

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Heidrich started his teaching career at Oklahoma State University in 1930.[1][9] He was an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the School of Engineering at Oklahoma State, until he began teaching at Pennsylvania State University in 1937.[2][7][10] At the 1947 meeting of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, he argued for the inclusion of building regulations, introductory engineering, and materials research in the drawing classes of architecture schools to complement design instruction.[11] As chairman of the Committee on Visual Education within the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, he led an effort to establish a cooperative program to provide color slides of structures and products[clarify] to departments for lectures and study.[12][13]

Design career

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Heidrich received three medals for his work from the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design.[14] He won a First Medal at the 27th Paris Prize Competition for the project “An International Athletic Centre” while student at Carnegie Institute of Technology under the mentorship of the École des Beaux-Arts educated Camille E. Grapin.[15][16][17] Heidrich received two Second Medal prizes while working at the Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College.[18][19] The first in 1931 for “A Circular Greek Temple” in the “Class ‘A & B’ Archaeology VI Projet” category. The next year his gothic revival design for “A Small Chapel for a Private House” placed in the “Interior Design IV” category.[20][21]

Heidrich left Penn State to open a private practice in 1950, but he rejoined the faculty in 1962-1963.[2] He founded Heidrich and Risheberger Associates with Jack Risheberger.[2] The firm focused on school architecture.[2][6] Heidrich and Risheberger designed the buildings of Radio Park Elementary School, Westerly Parkway Junior High School and State College Senior High School.[2]

During World War II he worked for Carl N. Norden Company, which produced the Norden Bombsight. There he led a department designing technical manuals.[2]

Key designs

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School architecture:

  • Radio Park Elementary School, State College, PA, 1962
  • State College Sr. High School, State College, PA, 1957
  • Houserville Elementary School, State College, PA, 1958
  • Westerly Parkway Jr. High School, State College, PA, 1961

Residential architecture:

  • The Heidrich House I, State College, PA, 1939
  • The McCormick House, State College, PA, 1946
  • The Boucher House, State College, PA, 1956
  • James B. Smith House II, State College, PA, 1974

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Library of Congress Authorities". Library of Congress. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "In Architecture: Heidrich Appointed Visiting Professor". Centre Daily Times. August 7, 1962. p. 9.
  3. ^ "McCormick College Heights". Penn State University Libraries. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Fears Degradation of Home Architecture". The Daily Courier [Connellsville, PA]. March 14, 1947.
  5. ^ "Kenneth J. Heidrich". Centre Daily Times. October 13, 1980. p. 3.
  6. ^ a b c George, Koyl (1962). American Architects Directory (2nd ed.). New York: R. R. Bowker Company. p. 301.
  7. ^ a b Jimmie, Skinner (1935). "Engineering Faculty, Men Who Have Actual Experience Along Engineering Lines Dominate Engineering Instructional Staff Here". The Redskin. Stillwater: Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College: 60.
  8. ^ Albert, Varasse (August 1930). "Vagabonds in Europe". The Charette: 1.
  9. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. p. 10.
  10. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. p. 10.
  11. ^ "Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Convention". Journal of Architectural Education. 2: 52–53. Summer 1947.
  12. ^ "Proceedings of the 36th Annual Convention". Journal of Architectural Education. 6: 7–8. Spring 1951.
  13. ^ "Proceedings of the 35th Annual Convention". Journal of Architectural Education. 5: 60–62. Autumn 1949.
  14. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. pp. 15, 17, 21.
  15. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. p. 21.
  16. ^ "First Medal – K. J. Heidrich, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pupil of Camille Grapin 27th Paris Prize Competition – An International Athletic Centre". The Bulletin of the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design. 10 (11): 30–33. September 1934.
  17. ^ "Carnegie Institute Appoints Professor of Architectural Design". Engineering World: A Journal of Engineering and Construction. 23 (4): 248. October 1923.
  18. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. p. 17.
  19. ^ "Second Medal – K. J. Heidrich, Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College Class "A&B" Archaeology VI Projet – A Circular Greek Temple". The Bulletin of the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design. 7 (10): 24. August 1931.
  20. ^ Seitsinger, Randy and Lisa M. Thomason. One Hundred Years of Architectural Education: 1909-2009, Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College, Oklahoma State University. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. p. 15.
  21. ^ "Second Medal – K. J. Heidrich, Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College Interior Design IV – A Small Chapel for a Private House". The Bulletin of the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design. 8 (7): 16–17. 1932.